Travis’ 2015 NBA All Star Weekend Predictions

NBA All Star Weekend graces the “Big Apple” NYC this year and it will be bringing all the stars out. This year is very different because of the injuries but that doesn’t mean that it will put a pause on the NBA’s best weekend. This is the first All Star Game in NYC since 1998 where the East beat the West 135-114 and there was no NBA Dunk Contest. This time around the NBA has expanded its game and its now more of an international game. The Rising Stars will be USA vs International Stars and there will be a Dunk Contest. The NBA has had a bad turn out on the Dunk Contest and they want to bring it back. The Dunk Contest is going to be good but the Three Point Contest is going to be the highlight of the weekend for me besides the actual game because, there are so many sharp shooters in it this year. The Skills challenge is always full of good point guards but this year they are making you make a 3 point shot with the passing which will be tough. Below I list my predictions for the whole weekend and I tell who and why they will win for this years All Star Weekend.

2015 NBA Rising Stars Challenge USA vs World

I have the World beating the USA in the Rising Stars Challenge. I think the World just has too much talent and I actually this this could be Giannis Antetokounmpo’s weekend as he is emerging as a true star in the NBA. The Bucks have been on a tear lately and I think the momentum can lead to him playing amazing on the large stage. I think he will have about 25 points and I see him giving everyone a taste of some of the dunks he has prepared for everyone on All Star Saturday night in the Dunk Contest. The last 10 games coming into the All Star break he is averaging 14 points and 9 rebounds and has shown so much promise. I got GA taking the MVP in this event and this being the moment he needs to get his exposure out there.

NBA All Star Skills Challenge

The NBA Skills Challenge has been a consistent contest that showcases the best guards in the NBA and points out their passing and shooting. I’m going to roll with Trey Burke for a repeat championship in this event because of his quickness and his consistent jumper under pressure. This year they added the 3 point shot to the contest to make it harder for the players to get through the course. Burke is shooting 31% from the 3 point line but at the same time he has the quickness and passing ability to get ahead of the pack to actually make the jumper before his opponent. Trey Burke has always been a player that has that competitive nature and I think that he will repeat because of that willingness to go get it. He will be the two time champ but if he loses it will be to Isiah Thomas it was that close between those two for me.

NBA Dunk Contest

The NBA Dunk Contest means a lot to me and I hate the fact that Vince Carter and Jason Richardson has set the bar too high for the new dunkers in the past years. The NBA has been pleaded for superstars to get in the contest and they haven’t recently but people still have huge expectations for the contest. This years Dunk Contest has a lot of young talent and it was tough for me because I’m torn between Zack LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo but I have to go with GA on this one because he has been explosive and has made the best of each moment in the open court on fast breaks. The length that he brings to this contest is crazy and he is already 6″11 the dunks that he can do will be close to Dominique Wilkins esc in my humble opinion and I think he and LaVine can bring the contest back. The video below speaks for itself and he is only 20 years old and is emerging to be that piece that the Bucks needed to mesh with Jabari Parker to make things special in Milwaukee. Give him the Dunk Contest trophy right now because it will make it a special night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvinihMrJwY

NBA Three Point Contest

This is going to be the main event of the All Star Weekend in my humble opinion you have the Splash Brothers and Kyle Korver. Not to mention you have Kyrie and Marco coming back as returning champions. This will go down as the best Three Point Contest in the history it is just too stacked and this was a tough one for me to decide but I’m going with Klay Thompson. Klay Thompson is just a genuine shooter and seems to do it with ease. The way that he was making shots in his 37 point 3rd quarter against the Kings was just amazing and even though Steph Curry had a similar performance Klay was in a zone. The look in Klay’s face was like this dude is a deadly shooter and wants to take his opponents heart out to win. His jump shot is one of the purest I have seen since Ray Allen and I think that this will be his moment to prove to every one he is equal to his splash mate. Check out the scoring performance below you will pick him too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxjsz92v53M

NBA All Star Game

I have the West winning this game because the West is just stacked to the point that it will even be too much for Lebron James. The West will be playing high paced so I think the MVP will go to Stephen Curry. I feel like he will get his payback on his Splash Brother by getting him back in the All Star Game on Sunday. Curry will be running the point and his coach will be coaching him so I feel like he can play to his pace and get those 3 pointers dropping and I think he can drop those dimes. Stephen Curry is also promoting his new sneaker with Under Armour and what a great way to get the sneaker exposure to get himself and his sneaker on the main stage. I think it will be raining 3 pointers on Sunday and Steph will be the reason why and I see him winning the All Star MVP. He went off on the Mavs last week so why not continue the hot streak in great moments.